Last week, Little Red partnered up with global drinkware leader, Contigo, to host an afternoon of mindful gift-wrapping and an insightful talk on how to be more eco-conscious this Christmas. With Christmas gifting in the UK contributing to over 5 million tonnes of waste each year, Contigo wanted to inspire guests to make this year’s festivities kinder to the environment without having to spend a penny or even leave the house!
The engaging and festive event was led by eco-friendly event stylist and designer, Callie Pettigrew, and sustainability expert and Red magazine’s eco-columinst, Armelle Ferguson. We were thrilled to also be joined by a plethora of top-tier press from the likes of Grazia, Women’s Health, Livingetc, Red and Woman & Home, alongside national titles, The Telegraph, The Daily Express and The Sun.
Encouraging a more thoughtful mindset when gift giving, we sent press hampers filled with sustainable wrapping goodies on behalf of Contigo, along with, of course, Contigo’s best-selling reusable water bottles and travel mugs. Guests were also treated to some indulgent treats, including a range of cheese and crackers and a bottle mulled wine to keep them cosy over the festive period.
Kicking things off, Armelle explained how the abundance of waste that is produced at this time of year often goes unrecognised, encouraging guests to ask themselves “how can I give more meaningful gifts?”. Providing us with surprising figures – like the fact that 500 million water bottles are bought every year – she urged guests to practice the five R’s at Christmas: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle.
Moving onto the interactive workshop, Callie discussed the basics of mindful gift wrapping, sharing her top tips on how to reduce waste and reuse everyday products when prepping gifts. Her mantra – that we should give an object another life before it goes to waste – was at the heart of her workshop, as she demonstrated simple gift-wrapping techniques using old clothes, Kraft paper and recyclable tape. She also advised using pinecones and rosemary to dazzle up the gifts and add a splash of fun.
It was wonderful to see press get involved at every stage, from finding materials to repurpose around their homes to asking questions and discussing their favourite gifts they’ve received in the past. Our abundance of top-tier guests went away armed with cheese, wine and some fresh new Contigo bottles, inspired to enjoy a meaningful Christmas of their own!
